I believe I have a hermaphrodite chicken

[NatJ]

Has there ever been a chicken documented to have both ovaries and testes?

I have never heard of a bird that had both ovaries and testes be functional. (I can't say whether any existed, just that I never heard of them.) But I have read of at least chicken that had non-functional versions of both:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/i-have-an-androgynous-chicken.1504007/page-4#post-26254503

^This thread talks about a chicken that displayed both male and female traits.
After the chicken died, the body was sent for necropsy at the state lab.

The necropsy report included the following statements:
"Reproductive system: The oviduct is small and immature. In the area of the ovary are two oblong, tan gonads that appear similiar to testicles."

"The changes to the gonads and the external characteristics of this chicken support the clinical suspicion of this chicken being intersex."

(That particular chicken never laid eggs, and mostly did not crow either.)

 

[3SiameseCats]

I've been keeping birds for almost 2 years which is not a long time but I incubated some eggs to see what would happen what long story short I gave several chickens and I believed by texting them when they were young around 5 weeks 6 weeks that they were female and these had been pulled from a lot earlier that I had tried to sex which we all know is difficult. Well the bird was returned to me because it turned out to be a rooster and so I put it by itself and that's where it's been for the last two weeks well this morning the old nesting box it decided to perch in and poop in had an egg in it and even though there's hens around the coop and in other areas there is not one able to get in there he has been absolutely alone. I know it's rare they say about 1 in 10,000 and it's much more likely to be looked at as a hoax than an actuality but I walked out today and that's what I found.View attachment 3619160

Holy crap this is so cool! Contact your local vet school, I bet they would love to do genetic research on him/her! I mean I know I’d love to!

 

[3SiameseCats]

I have never heard of a bird that had both avaries and testes be functional. (I can't say whether any existed, just that I never heard of them.) But I have read of at least chicken that had non-functional versions of both:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/i-have-an-androgynous-chicken.1504007/page-4#post-26254503

^This thread talks about a chicken that displayed both male and female traits.
After the chicken died, the body was sent for necropsy at the state lab.

The necropsy report included the following statements:
"Reproductive system: The oviduct is small and immature. In the area of the ovary are two oblong, tan gonads that appear similiar to testicles."

"The changes to the gonads and the external characteristics of this chicken support the clinical suspicion of this chicken being intersex."

(That particular chicken never laid eggs, and mostly did not crow either.)

Did they do genetic testing? Curious what it would be.

 

[NatJ]

Did they do genetic testing? Curious what it would be.

For that chicken, no genetic testing while the bird was alive:

I decided against sending in Big Girl's feathers for DNA testing at that time, since the lab said they could only determine the most predominate sex, and I couldn't find any labs that could determine if she was Both genders. I decided I would wait until Big Girl passed away before seeking testing.

After the bird was dead, they did a necropsy but I do not see any mention of genetic testing.

 

[3SiameseCats]

For that chicken, no genetic testing while the bird was alive:


After the bird was dead, they did a necropsy but I do not see any mention of genetic testing.

That’s unfortunate, Ive had love to have seen what the results would have been

 

[McChooky]

I love it! And again I have become more excited about possibility over probability! I have also found sources that suggest this can and does happen on occasion. So I guess the question that might stem from this, is how often does this happen? And just like that we go down a whole new Lane of what if, and I think that's pretty exciting!



I guess there's nothing like peripheral evidence to support a conversation.

And thank you for providing that information. Since it's started the underlying conversation that has developed beyond my basic question I believe it boils down to two sides. One side says it's impossible and I'm making it all up because it's too far fetched to be real. And then here comes this community with their own experiences that do nothing but support the possibility of what I might be having here! This only excites me all the much more. I can't wait to get to my vet and ask/challenge him to come up with some kind of tangible answer that is clear and present in the flock, so to speak. And weather proving or disproving what I have, I believe the whole community at Large has benefited from all the input from everyone. I know it's opened my eyes to a level or a category of chicken keeping that I never ever considered, awesome sauce.

After your your camera's set up you'll be able to prove where the egg comes from next time ! Happy to help thanks!

 

[McChooky]

Has there ever been a chicken documented to have both ovaries and testes? I've had hens with dominant rooster behavior, spurs and scythe tail feathers... but they laid eggs. I have an American Bresse pullet right now that my wife swears is a rooster- she even crows and mounts her pen mates- but her little bitty new-layer eggs betray her gender.

I've never read where a hen with healthy' ovaries can grow testes and still lay eggs but they can certainly exhibit rooster behavior and crow like a rooster and mount the other hens. Their gender doesn't change regardless.

 

[CityFarmerRob]

Has there ever been a chicken documented to have both ovaries and testes? I've had hens with dominant rooster behavior, spurs and scythe tail feathers... but they laid eggs. I have an American Bresse pullet right now that my wife swears is a rooster- she even crows and mounts her pen mates- but her little bitty new-layer eggs betray her gender.

Well if it's ever been documented it's pretty hard to find cuz nobody else has found it, as of yet. But I'm hoping my vet can shed light on this. As far as the egg in question, it's been in the incubator for what four or five days now since I posted this. And I candled it and it looked new when I water tested it it sank and I will say that when I took the egg out of there it felt slightly warm. I candle the egg this morning and I did not see much of a change which might just mean it's not fertile. And out of the other 15 hens I would say that 99% of their eggs have been fertile when they were cracked open. It's hard to get one of them to lay a non-fertilized egg. So we'll see.

 

[Coops Dad]

I've never read where a hen with healthy' ovaries can grow testes and still lay eggs but they can certainly exhibit rooster behavior and crow like a rooster and mount the other hens. Their gender doesn't change regardless.

I disassembled both of the ones I ended up with. Neither of the masculine hens had testes and both laid eggs. Both saw the pot before they were a year and a half old- one was getting her butt kicked way too often by the #2 rooster and the other was an agent of discord and chaos.

 

[CityFarmerRob]

I disassembled both of the ones I ended up with. Neither of the masculine hens had testes and both laid eggs. Both saw the pot before they were a year and a half old- one was getting her butt kicked way too often by the #2 rooster and the other was an agent of discord and chaos.

Well, I'm not ready to do that yet. But thanks for the information, all of this is extremely helpful and insightful.